OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS ARISING DURING MINING AND PROCESSING OF APATITE ORES IN KOLA HIGH NORTH

Abstract

Despite the ongoing modernization processes, mining and chemical industry workers in the Kola High North continue to be exposed to an increased risk of various health disorders. The aim of the study was to examine the nature and the risks of occupational diseases (OD) and industrial accidents (IA) arising from the use of modern technologies of extraction and processing of apatite-nepheline ores. It has been found that in the OD structure, there dominated musculoskeletal (43.5 cases per 10,000 workers) and nervous (19.0) diseases, as well as hearing loss (17.3). In comparison with other workers, OD were most often (1.39-4.81 times) observed in underground miners. Also, IA cases were more frequently recorded in this group of workers, including fatalities. Thus, our studies have shown that modern methods of extraction of apatite-nepheline ore in the Kola Polar region retained an increased risk of occupational diseases and injuries, especially among underground miners. This causes the need to improve technical and medical interventions for prevention of health problems in this group of workers.